More Bang for Your Buck

Regis degrees seen as top value among Colorado colleges, universities

Employers see high value in the education Regis University offers, according to a newly released study commissioned by state education officials on salaries among first-year bachelor degree graduates. The newly unveiled “Higher Education Pays: The Initial Earnings of Graduates from Colorado's Colleges and Universities Working in Colorado” report offers information to help students and their families gauge the potential return on their higher education investment.

“We’re thrilled that the report validates the unique educational experience Regis offers,” said Jacqueline Phillips, interim director of admissions for Regis College. “Regis’ value-centered, Jesuit education enables its graduates to find personal success as well as do something even more meaningful – to make a positive impact within their communities.”

Of the Colorado higher education institutions analyzed, Regis University bachelor’s degree graduates earn the top median salary among liberal arts schools at $53,705. Among all schools, Regis is second highest in first-year median earnings, with the Colorado School of Mines commanding the highest beginning salaries.

The median first-year earnings of bachelor’s degree recipients statewide are around $39,000. Regis University graduates’ median first-year earnings are about 38 percent higher than the state median.

A Regis student graduating with a degree in business administration earns a median first-year salary of $57,120, compared to graduates from the University of Colorado Boulder in the same field, who have median first-year earnings of $41,944. And a University of Colorado Denver graduate with the same degree had a median first-year salary of $43,518.

The median first-year earnings of communication and media studies graduates from Regis were $50,090, compared with $35,822 at the University of Colorado Denver and $41,075 from the University of Denver.

A Regis student graduating with a degree in psychology had a median first-year salary of $46,459, compared with $30,166 from the University of Northern Colorado. A CU Boulder graduate with the same degree had a median first-year salary of $32,264.